Shades of Red
by MoonLitHeavans
Summary: In her life, she's seen so many meanings behind the color, yet she's sure it couldn't be the color of this day... -IchiRuki-


Hey everyone! I wrote this for the IchiRuki FC for Valentine's Day! Yeah, despite the fact that it's Valentine's Day today this fic is not at all that fluffy. My last fic was so I figured I'll make one that isn't so fluffy this time.

Enjoy the fanfic!

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach in any way, shape, or form. _**

**_Dedications:_**

This fic is dedicated to the entire IchiRuki FC and to Silver Fantasy for being the best VP and Twin someone can have! XD**

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Dark blue eyes stared at the piece of paper posted on the wall. She scanned the paper again but it still didn't make sense. Valentine's Day…the name rolled of her tongue, falling onto the ground. The combination of syllables just did not make sense. She glanced at Orihime, looking for a clue as to what this Valentine's Day could possibly be, but frowned when it didn't help. She was talking excitedly to Tatsuki about something Rukia couldn't understand. Maybe Ichigo can give her some answers. Yes, he was probably the best person to ask.

"_Oi, Ichigo, I have a question to ask."_

"_Hm…"_

"_What's Valentine's Day?"_

"_Valentine's Day?" He stopped walking and looked back before answering. "It's stupid. It's about some random guy in diapers shooting red arrows at people to make them fall in love and a bunch of chocolates being handed out."_

"_Red…is that the color for Valentine's Day?"_

"_Do I look like an expert at this? I don't know. Yes if it stops your questions."_

They continued walking in silence, him walking just a few steps ahead of her. Red was an interesting choice for a seemingly nice holiday. Her thoughts drifted elsewhere as they continued their walk home.

**Red is Guilt**

That night, the sky was stained with blood. Red blood that flowed from the wound in his body, caused by her sword, stained the ground. Down the silver blade it flowed, leaving trails that seemed to glow in her eyes. That was all she saw, the color of his blood. It seemed to crawl into the deepest recesses of her heart, waiting, growing, torturing her with each day she lived and he did not. Yes guilt is the color of blood red.

**Red is Fate**

It was not the blood that she remembered from that night. It was the meeting of their destinies. A shinigami and a human, that's how the story began, with an odd combination like that. When she held her blade to his chest, ready to plunge it into his heart, she thought that perhaps this will be another blood stained night. He trusted her, trusted that she would be able to do this, and trusted her more than she trusted herself at that moment. But it worked and the red ribbons of destiny fluttered in the breeze.

**Red is Normality**

Life as a human, it was interesting. They were days of extremes. One day would be full of fighting and the next would be totally uneventful. Yes, they were days of extreme lows or highs, but they were enjoyable. She had friends, something that she did not have much of in Soul Society. It was bittersweet, the feeling of normality she felt during those times. Perhaps it was just wishful thinking on her part, but she wished that maybe those days would never have to leave sometimes. Yet she knew that that day would come when she had to leave. Bittersweet red is the color of normality

**Red is Goodbye**

That night, it wasn't her blade that stained the ground with blood, his blood. It was the blade of her brother and her old friend. She could only watch as he fought, watched as he got hurt. Relief washed through her when he managed to survive the first fight but it was soon replaced with a cold fear, not for her but for him. Against the blade of her brother, he would suffer defeat or worse, death. It pained her to kick his hand, to speak those words. As the rain started to fall from the sky, they washed the blood from the ground, and she held back her tears. Tear stained red is the color of goodbye.

**Red is Atonement**

Locked in the tower, she knew she had to pay for her sins. Her barefoot touched the cold stone of the floor and she refused to acknowledge it. That small rectangle of blue was her only glimpse of the outside world. Fights were being fought, fights that were unnecessary. She didn't need to be saved, she didn't want to be saved, and she didn't want to be saved. On her knees, she prayed, prayed though she knew that it would only fall upon deaf ears, she prayed that he would forget about her and save himself. His life that she had barged recklessly into and destroyed, she didn't deserve to be saved. Pale red is the color of atonement.

**Red is Determination**

On the bridge, she saw him for the first time since their goodbye. As he passed her she could only stare ahead. He was bandaged up. The wounds still fresh no doubt. Thought the sky was a bright blue, she felt as though it should rain. So that the tears that threatened to fall would be hidden by the falling raindrops. As he promised that he would save her, she could hear the determination in his voice, see it in his eyes. He would save her even if it killed him, that's what his eyes were telling her. She knew that it was pointless to argue, but for his sake she did. To die trying to save her, the thought stabbed her own heart a million times over. Stubborn red is the color of determination.

**Red is Hope**

That man whose smile is that of a cunning fox's, he destroyed her resolve on that bridge. All thoughts of being saved had been wiped from her mind, but his words, the chance he offered brought such thoughts back into her mind. Perhaps she would be saved, perhaps he would save her. Those thoughts had hurt more than a stab from his blade. As she screamed in frustration, she wondered if she was screaming for herself or to those that could not hear her. Burning red is the color of hope.

**Red is Safety**

In his arms, knowing that she was safe, it felt right. He saved her, even though she told him to forget about her. Somewhere, deep in her mind she knew he wouldn't give up even if the price of saving her was steep, his own life. Despite her desire to pay for her sins, her acceptance of her punishment, she was glad to have been saved. For the first time in a long time, she let the tears in her eyes fall; they weren't tears of sadness, of frustration, of anger. They were tears of happiness. Soft read is the color of safety.

**Red is Gratitude**

She wanted to tell him before anyone. She needed to stay in Soul Society. A part of her longed to return to the human world, but her mind was telling her otherwise. As the sun set in the clearing, she told him. He was expecting her to return with him. She knew and it made things a little harder. But she also knew that he would understand why. In the soft glow of the setting sun, they shared a smile. Knowing full well that this wasn't a goodbye,

**Red is Not Affection**

It seemed to her that every moment in her life, the color red was present. So many shades with so many different meanings, it really was a special color. But it's never a color of affection. She stopped and turned her head towards the setting sun. A few steps in front of her he stopped walking as well, turning his head back towards her. In the sky were the pale purple of the approaching darkness and the vibrant orange of the setting sun. She was sure that red isn't the color of affection. It was something else.

"_Oi, Rukia!"_

"_What?"_

"_Hurry up and get moving!"_

"_Hm, Ichigo," she started walking again and stopped when she was just a step or two behind him. "I don't think red is the color of affection so it shouldn't be the color of Valentine 's Day."_

"_I said it was a stupid holiday," he ran a hand through his hair and glanced back at her. "What color do you think it should be?"_

"_Nothing in particular," she looked one last look at the sky and continued walking home. "I was just curious."_

"_Eh? Whatever," he stopped to look at the setting sun and glanced at the back of her head. He didn't think Red was the color of affection either. It was the farthest thing from affection._

**Red is Regret, Fate, Normality, Goodbye, ****Atonement, Determination, Hope, Safety, and Gratitude…**

…**But Affection lies in the most obvious of colors…**

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The theme that me and Silver decide on in like a few posts was "Red" so this fit it quite well. And those last two lines looked so great left - center - right alligned on Word but it wasn't happening on here so I had to make it what it is now. T_T I wanted it to be left - center - right T_T

Hope you guys enjoyed reading it!

Please don't forget to comment!

-Vampy-


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